Jesse Marsch trying to make Leeds United less 'typically Leeds' after narrow Premier League relegation escape - Yorkshire Post 22/5/22

Jesse Marsch has spent a couple of months learning about Leeds United but there is one aspect of the club he is keen to change.

By Stuart Rayner

But if he does, he does not wanting anyone singing his praises, just that of his team.

Marsch achieved part one of the job he was brought in to do by steering the Whites to safety from Premier League relegation.

But they did it in a way supporters will recognise as typically Leeds - leaving their fate in other people's hands on the final day, taking the lead in West London but allowing the Bees back into it before securing a stoppage-time winner against a team down to nine men.

Their 2-1 win, combined with Burnley's 2-1 defeat to Newcastle United, kept them up by three points. The Leeds goals came from a Raphinha penalty and Jack Harrison's late goal.

"I've heard this a lot about Leeds United and the community and we always think we have to do it the hard way," said the American, who replaced the sacked Marcelo Bielsa in February.

"Honestly, part of the job is to change the mentality to say we deserve more. We have an incredible club, we have an incredible team and honestly it's not by accident that we've socred four winners or equalisers in injury time (during his 12 games in charge).

"It's because we've had belief and we think we deserve what we've got but we had to earn it.

"I've heard this is the Leeds way but I'm not buying into that.

"I'm only thinking about the potential of what we can make it into."

If Leeds fans signing Bielsa's name as the team trailed 1-0 going into the final stages at home to Brighton and Hove Albion seven days later, the away supporters sang Marsch's as they celebrated their victory and survival.

It did not, though, sit easily with what Marsch is trying to do.

"I always love the energy and here at Leeds I've never felt energy like the supporters bring here," he said.

"I don't want them to chant my name, I want them to chant who we are. This is not about any one person, certainly not about me.

"This is about our club and who we want to become and the unity we have as a group.

"Don't worry abut me. If you want to criticise me, that's the coach's job, do it, I don't care.

"What's most important is we are Leeds United and the United part of our name is who we are at all moments at all times and that will always be the case."

There is no doubt, though, that a team which finished ninth 12 months earlier has a lot to do this summer to become the club Marsch and the fans want it to be.

"It's almost been a band-aid project (rather) than a project about style of play, identity and developing an academy so there's so much to do," said Marsch.

"We've really started the process in a good way and we've invested in each other nd what we have from a player and people perspective.

"But I think we're just scratching the surface of the potential of what we want to become.

"There's a lot to do, almost everything, but I'm so thankful to work with the people I work with every day and I knew regardless of the outcome today we had a big future because of the people that are involved - from a player perspective, worker perspective, support staff, everything."